Norman's Cay

Norman’s Cay is an island in the Exuma Cays of the Bahamas, administered from the Black Point area, and lies within the chain of low, sandy cays that make up the Exumas. The island has white sandy beaches, shallow reefs and visible remains of mid-20th-century structures and an airstrip.

The shoreline and reef areas are used for swimming, snorkelling and small-boat excursions; snorkelers commonly visit shallow wreckage and reef features near the island. Old buildings and an abandoned airstrip are visible on the island and are part of what draws visitors interested in recent history as well as shoreline recreation.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s the island was used as a staging base by drug traffickers; that activity ceased after law enforcement actions and the island’s facilities were abandoned. Today Norman’s Cay is visited mainly for its beaches and marine recreation.

The island sits within the Exuma island group in the central Bahamas and is one of the chain of cays south-east of Great Exuma.

• Recent historical note: In the late 1970s and early 1980s the island was used as a transshipment base for illicit drug flights, and physical remains from that era are still visible; today the island is visited mainly for beaches and snorkelling.

What to See #

• Airstrip and ruins: Remains of a private airstrip and scattered building foundations on the island are visible from the shore; these features are frequently visited by snorkellers and photographers.
• Wreck and reef snorkel sites: Shallow reefs and wrecked or grounded aircraft in nearshore waters that are popular destinations for snorkelling and shallow diving trips.